[[http://wikis.ala.org/alsc/index.php/ALSC_%40_ALA_2010_Annual_Conference_in_the_Nation%27s_Capital | Back to Main Page]]

+

[http://wikis.ala.org/alsc/index.php/ALSC_%40_ALA_2010_Annual_Conference_in_the_Nation%27s_Capital | Back to Main Page]

==Getting Here (Airports, Train Stations, Bus Stations)==

==Getting Here (Airports, Train Stations, Bus Stations)==

Line 41:

Line 41:

If you have a Zipcar membership, it’s good in Washington DC and most of the surrounding jurisdictions. Bring your membership card in case you want to take a side trip to Baltimore, Frederick, or Northern Virginia.<br>

If you have a Zipcar membership, it’s good in Washington DC and most of the surrounding jurisdictions. Bring your membership card in case you want to take a side trip to Baltimore, Frederick, or Northern Virginia.<br>

<br>

<br>

−

[[http://wikis.ala.org/alsc/index.php/ALSC_%40_ALA_2010_Annual_Conference_in_the_Nation%27s_Capital | Back to Main Page]]

+

[http://wikis.ala.org/alsc/index.php/ALSC_%40_ALA_2010_Annual_Conference_in_the_Nation%27s_Capital | Back to Main Page]

Take Metrobus B30 (BWI Express)($3 fare - Exact change required.) to Greenbelt Station, transfer to Green Line train in the direction of Branch Avenue and exit at the Mt. Vernon Sq./7th Street/Convention Center Station. OR

Take BWI Airport Bus to BWI Amtrak Station and take Amtrak or MARC* trains to Washington, D.C.'s Union Station. From Union Station take Metro's Red Line in the direction of Shady Grove/Grosvenor and transfer to the Green or Yellow Line at Gallery Plce/Chinatown. Take the Yellow or Green Line in the direction of Greenbelt/Fort Totten/Mt. Vernon Sq. and exit at the Mt. Vernon Sq./7th Street/Convention Center Station. *MARC Trains run on weekdays only.

Other transportation options including taxis and Super Shuttle vans are available at all airports.

Trains

Union StationUnion Station is Washington, D.C.'s main rail hub and is the arrival and departure point for all Amtrak trains.To reach the Convention Center from Union Station take Metro's Red Line in the direction of Shady Grove/Grosvenor and transfer to the Green or Yellow Line at Gallery Plce/Chinatown. Take the Yellow or Green Line in the direction of Greenbelt/Fort Totten/Mt. Vernon Sq. and exit at the Mt. Vernon Sq./7th Street/Convention Center Station.

Busses to Washington

Getting Around Town

Metro
Washington's Metro transit system is the quickest way to get around town, whether you're seeing the sights or just going from your hotel to the Convention Center. Click the Metro link above for information about farecards. We recommend a SmartTrip card for those who plan to travel the system frequently. It's costs $5 plus whatever amount of money you wish to add to it to pay your fares. It also comes in handy if you need to transfer between trains and busses as it gets you a discounted Metrobus fare.

If you choose to purchase a regular paper fare card or 1-day card, make sure you do not put it near your cell phone or anything magnetic as it will desensitize the magnetic strip on the card and render it useless. (SmartTrip cards are immune to this.)

Pay attention to the arrival & destination signs on the station platforms as final train destinations are subject to change due to track work.

Did you know that longest escalators in the western hemisphere are at Wheaton Station in suburban Montgomery County, MD? These escalators are 508 ft. long, rise about 230 ft., and take nearly 3 minutes to ascend or descend without walking.

D.C. Circulator
The D.C. Circulator is a great option for those who want to visit the Mall area, Georgetown, or the SW Waterfront. It provides service to and around each of these areas for $1 a trip, and there is a stop in close proximity to the Convention Center. Look for the destination on the front of the bus; don't rely on the information on the sides of the buses. Metro Smart Cards are also accepted on the D.C. Circulator.

Auto-Related Tips

On-Street Parking

The cost to park a car in most areas of downtown D.C. is $2.00 per hour, and fees are required in most areas until 10:00 pm, including Saturdays. You’ll need lots of coins although some meters now take credit cards. Parking limits are also enforced. Parking enforcement officers won't let you extend your stay even if you come out and feed the meter; you’ve got to move the car.

Zipcar

If you have a Zipcar membership, it’s good in Washington DC and most of the surrounding jurisdictions. Bring your membership card in case you want to take a side trip to Baltimore, Frederick, or Northern Virginia.